Cement slab or tile with light-pane.



1. H.-FREUND. CEMENT SLAB OB. TILE WITH LIGHT PANB.

APPLICATION FILED MARA, 1912.

Patented O0t.22,1912.

FIG. 3

WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. V IGNATZ H. FREUND, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 FEDERAL CEMENT TILE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,- A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CEMENT SLAB OB TILE WITH LIGH'.I.-II?.A1\TIE J.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1912.

Application filed March 4, 1512. Serial No. 681,557.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that I, IcNA'rz H. FREUND, a residentof Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cement Slabs or Tiles With Light-Panes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to illuminating slabs or tiles and more especially to cement slabs or tiles used for roofing purposes.

The object of the invention is to rovide a cement slab.or tile which is not liable to breakage due to differences in expansion or contraction of the glass and cement.

The. invention comprises the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view partly broken away, of one embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a section thereof on the line 22, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2, showing a modification.

My invention comprises a tile or slab hav ing a body 1, of comparatively large superficial area and comparatively thin, the body thereof being formed of cement or concrete and provided with a large opening 2 which that it practically becomes integral with the cement. To prevent breakage or cracking of the glass which may be caused by differences in ratio of expansion and contraction of the cement and glass, the edge of the glass plate is set in a suitable cushion interposed between the glass and cement, which absorbs any difference in movement of the two materials due to changes in temperature or other causes. This cushion may be formed as a homogeneous mass of some suitable plastic material or it may be formed of metal in such a manner as to act as a cushion.

In Fig. 2 the cushion is shown as a pocket or cap 5 surrounding the edge of the glass and in contact with both side portions thereof. he cushion 5 is formed of a plastic material, as for placed in" position around the edges of the bedded therein a example, asphalt, and is.

glass before placing it in concrete. The cushion 5 of plastic material extends around all four edges of the glass. Preferably a t e the glass but not into full contact therewith, so as to more securely hold the same in position. This cement portion is sloped or beveled as shown, so as to provide a perfectly fiat outer or upper surface and thus prevent the lodgment of rain or snow. he bond between the glass, the cushion 5 and the cement is so formed that no water can penetrate to the joint. The cushion 5 is comparatively compressible or absorbs or permits slight relative movement, especially edgewise, between the glass and tile caused by variations in temperature and the difference in expansion and contraction of the two materials.

body 1 may be composed only of cement, mortar or concrete but to give addiembed in the cement body metal or similar reinforcements, such as the expanded metal shown at For similar reasons the sheet of glass 4 may be reinforced by having emmetal trellis 8, such glass bieing what is ordinarily known as wire ass. g The invention may be applied for securing a sheet of glass in a slab, While the same is made in place on a roof, Wall, floor or other place or, if preferred, to a tile or slab intended to be finished and thereafter transported to the place where it is to be used. For this reason, although the inventionis shown as applied to a tile, it is not to be understood as limited to a tile but to cover all forms of concrete slabs embodying a glass sheet and Within the scope of the appended claims.

The tile is shown formed with interlocking portions for attachment of one tile to the adjacent ones and also suitable means for hooking over or otherwise attaching to the roof purlins or frame members.

The tile shown in the drawing is provided at one end on its lower face with the hook member, indicated by the dotted line 9, for

Q ren w hooking over the roof purlins, and at its a as forming roofs of buildings such as shops obtain light. The tile body is of comparathe same as does any other roofing tile. This tile is capable of being provided with hooks to take over the roof purlins and to interlock with the standard roof plates, be ing laid loosely so that it will take up expansion and contraction as well as vibration. The tile itself, and also the glass, while comparatively thin, are reinforced in a manner to expose no metallic portions on the surface and no metal frame is required to carry either the tile or the glass. The latter is carried entirely by the cement body. The surface of the tile is comparatively even and has no pro cting portions to stop the rain or snow so that it is practically self-cleaning and enables the glass to give maximum light. It is unnecessary to flash the tiles themselves or the glass in the tile in order to make a water tight joint. When wire glass is used the tile is practically fire proof, as the glass is embedded in the co ment and becomes an integral part of the latter.

What I claim is:

1. A construction of the character described comprising a thin slab of cement provided with a large opening, a sheet of glass coveri g said opening, and means within the integral cement body and adapted to permit relative movement between the sheet of glass and the slab of cement, the cement body being molded around said means and the edges of the glass sheet and brought into close juxtaposition with both sides of. the glass sheet, the edges of said glass sheet and said means being both therey permanently embedded in the slab of cement.

2. A. construction of the character de scribed comprising a thin concrete slab provided with a large opening and having a rabbet surrounding the same, a sheet of glass seated in said rabbet and molded in the concrete slab, and a cushion located between the edge portions of the sheet of glass and the concreteand -wholly buried in the concrete slab, being thereby protected by the concrete and permitting movement of edges is provided with ridges for receiving the interlocking member. Inasmuch, however, as these features maybe varied within wide limits, and are not claimed, they are not shown in detail. The'tile may, if desired, be made without these interlocking features and is so made when it is constructed in the place where it is to be used.

The tile described is intended more especially for bridging large openings, such and factories, through which it is desired to tively large superficial area and comparatively thin and the glass sheet likewise isv comparatively large and thin. One size made has the body of the tile 52 long, 24:" wide and thick, and the glass sheet 22 long, 10 wide and about 5/16 thick. The tile, therefore, is strictly speaking, a slab and not a block and the glass is, strictly speaking, a sheet. The cushion 5 shown is preferably about wide extending all the way around the said edges of'the glass and. imprisoning the same.

In the form shown in Fig. 3 the pocket or cushion 5 is shown as formed of comparatively thin bent sheet metal embracing the edge of the glass and providing a clear space 10 between the glass and cement. This cushion shields the edge of the glass from contact with the concrete and absorbs or permits relative movement between the glass and cement in the same manner as'the plastic cushion 5 and is likewise inserted into place during molding of the tile; otherwise this form of the invention is the same as that illustrated in Fig. 2.

The tile described and shown in the drawings is an improvement upon that illustrated, described and claimed in my prior Patent No. 860,796 grahted July 23, 1907.

It was found-in practlce that although, in tiles constructed according to that patent, the coeficients of expansion of the cement and glass are practically identical, there was a very slight difierence between them, which under conditions of use became intensifie the glass sheet with reference thereto. or magnified by great variations in temper- 8. A construction of the character deature, as for example, the difference bescribed comprising a thin cement slab protween the minimum temperature of winter vided with a large opening having a rabbet and the maximum of summer. Such great surrounding the same, a sheet of glass restvariations as this causes the glass to crack. ing in said rabbet and having its edge por- "With a tile or slab constructed according tions embraced by the cement body, and a to my present invention, slight relative cushion of plastic material between the yield or movement between the glass and sheet of glass and the cement slab and held cement is permitted and the danger of permanently in place by the setting of the breakage or crackage is decreased. The tile cement around the edges of the glass. or slab described is a combination of cement a. A. construction of the character deand glass and in the case of the tile, is or scribed comprising a thin cement slab promav be an exact counterpart of the standard vided with a large opening, a sheet of glass 1 roofing tiles and formed to interlock with covering said opening and having its edges embedded in the cement, and a cushion of In testimony whereof, I have hereunto asphzilllt-ic material between the sheet of glass set my hand. and t e cement slab, said cus lion being elas- T tic and adapted to absorb relative move IGNATZ FREUL 5 ment between the sheet of glass and cement Witnesses: and being permanently inclosed by the body THEODORE Rmsovrrs, of the cement slab. I L. DOBBERMAN. 

